"After more than a half-century of hostility, the United States and Cuba declared Wednesday they will reopen embassies in each other's capitals this month, marking a historic full restoration of diplomatic relations between the Cold War foes.
For President Barack Obama, the opening of the U.S. Embassy in the heart of Havana is one of the most tangible demonstrations of his long-standing pledge to engage directly with U.S. adversaries. Heralding the embassy agreement, Obama declared: 'This is what change looks like.'
Cuban television broadcast Obama's statement live, underscoring the new spirit. In a letter to Obama, Cuban President Raul Castro praised the embassy announcement as a way to 'develop respectful relations and cooperation between our peoples and governments.'
Despite the historic step, the U.S. and Cuba are still grappling with deep divisions and mistrust."
---Associated Press, July 1, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 2, Minnesota Twins 1
July 1, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 1, 2015
The economy added a healthy 223,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported Thursday, but other indicators, showing wages growing slowly and jobless Americans remaining on the sidelines, painted a grayer picture.
Indeed, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent, the lowest in seven years, that was driven largely by an exodus of people from the work force, rather than more Americans finding work. Moreover, the strong job gains for April and May, which had led many analysts to predict that the economy was picking up steam, were revised downward by 60,000 jobs."
---New York Times, July 2, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 12, Toronto Blue Jays 6
July 2, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Getty Images photo of a Boston Red Sox batter in action versus the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Canada on July 2, 2015
Above: AP photo of Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras during a July 3, 2015 rally in Athens, Greece, an event held in advocacy of rejecting a recently-proposed Greek bailout plan, i.e. voting "no" in the July 5, 2015 referendum
Above: Map of Greece
Above: AP photos of respective "No" (OXI) and "Yes" (NAI) supporters at Athens, Greece rallies, held on July 3, 2015, in advance of the impending national referendum on a potential bailout of the Greek financial system
"Greeks took to the streets in the tens of thousands on Friday in rival rallies that laid bare the deep divide heading into a referendum that may decide the country’s future in Europe’s single currency.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, elected in January on a promise to end six years of austerity, extolled a packed Syntagma square in central Athens to spurn the tough terms of an aid deal offered by international creditors to keep the country afloat.
His European partners say a ‘No’ vote will jeopardize Greece’s membership of the euro.
Tsipras says they are bluffing, fearing the fallout for Europe and the global economy. But a ‘Yes’ vote may bring him down, ushering in a new period of political instability for a country reeling from five days of shuttered banks and rationed cash withdrawals.
Framing Sunday’s ballot as a battle for democracy, freedom and European values, the 40-year-old left-wing leader told Greeks to 'turn your backs on those who terrorize you daily'.
'On Sunday, we are not just deciding that we are staying in Europe, but that we are deciding to live with dignity in Europe,' he told the crowd of at least 50,000.
His opponents accuse Tsipras of gambling Greece’s future with a rapid-fire plebiscite that a major European rights watchdog says falls short of international standards of fairness.
Three opinion polls published on Friday had the 'Yes' vote marginally ahead; a fourth put the 'No' camp 0.5 percent in front, but all were well within the margin of error."
"The brief but intense campaign in Greece's critical bailout referendum ends Friday, with simultaneous rallies in Athens supporting 'yes' and 'no' answers to a murky question in what opinion polls suggest will be a very close vote.
Thousands began gathering for the rallies, which were being held about 800 meters (half a mile) apart. Brief clashes broke out between a group of dozens of anti-establishment protesters and police at the tail end of the 'no' rally just as it was getting under way.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called the referendum last weekend, asking Greeks to decide whether to accept creditors' proposals for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans — even though those proposals are no longer on the table.
No campaigning is allowed the day before an election in Greece, so Friday's rallies would be the closing salvoes in the battle to persuade voters ahead of Sunday.
Tsipras says a 'no' vote would put him in a stronger position to seek a better deal for Greece within the 19-nation eurozone to reduce its 320 billion-euro national debt and make payments more sustainable.
In a televised address to the nation Friday, Tsipras urged Greeks to vote 'no to ultimatums, divisions and fear.' He emphasized that Sunday's referendum is not a vote on whether Greece will remain in the euro, Europe's joint currency.
But opposition parties, and many European officials, say a 'no' vote would drive Greece out of the euro and into an even more impoverished future."
"The top administrative court of Greece declared on Friday that a referendum on a European bailout package is constitutional, allowing a potentially historic vote that could change the shape of Europe.
The ruling from the Council of State, which was expected, means the balloting can be held on Sunday as scheduled.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras renewed his call for Greeks to reject the terms of the bailout offer from the country’s European creditors, warning voters against caving in to 'blackmail.'
'I ask you to say no to ultimatums, blackmail and fear-mongering,' he said in a televised address. 'No to divisions, no to those who want to spread panic.'"
"On Sunday, the people of Greece will help decide the financial future of their country. With the nation already in default and capital controls in place to prevent a run on the banks, it’s up to Greece’s citizens to decide what road the country will take from here.
The referendum—which asks Greeks to either vote yes or no to a current proposal from Eurogroup leaders to extend financing to the deeply indebted country— was called for by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras amid meetings of Eurozone leaders as they tried to come up with a deal that would allow the country to avoid default. The call for a vote effectively ended discussions.
Opponents of the current proposal from the Eurogroup feel that the austerity measures put forth by the Eurogroup’s leaders—which would includes things like tax hikes, pension cuts, and reductions in government jobs—are overly harsh and punitive, and could hurt Greeks more than help them."
"Whether Greeks decide in Sunday's referendum to accept their lenders' bailout deal or reject it, the government's hold on power may be shakier than its brash prime minister has calculated, analysts say.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is banking on fellow Greeks to deliver a resounding 'no' in the popular vote that he believes will give him strong leverage in his negotiations with creditors to swing a softer bailout deal for a country ravaged by years of harsh austerity, deep recession and crushing poverty.
A win for the No campaign, the reasoning goes, could also furnish Tsipras with an endorsement for his five-month rule and allow his government to consolidate — and extend — its grip on power.
That may not be the case, analysts say, since a 'no' vote could still plunge Tsipras' position into uncertainty if negotiations drag on with lenders who see such the outcome as a Greek snub of the euro. Without a quick deal, banks could stay shuttered to keep their reserves from running dry."
---Associated Press, July 4, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Miami Marlins 2, Chicago Cubs 1
July 3, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Miami Marlins and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Friday, July 3, 2015
"Two car bombs killed 11 people in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday, police and medical sources said, striking as many people were ending their daily Ramadan fast.
One bomb hit the mainly Shi'ite Amil district in the southwest of the city around dusk, killing eight people and wounding 27. The other hit a bus garage in Doura in the south of the capital, killing three people.
Northeast of Baghdad, in the town of Balad Roz, a third car bomb killed two people, local police said."
"A series of attacks, mainly car bombs, in Iraq killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens on Saturday, authorities said.
Police officials said the deadliest attack occurred Saturday night when a car bomb exploded on a commercial street in Baghdad's western neighborhood of Amil, killing nine people and wounding 24 others. Several shops and cars were damaged.
Earlier, police said a car bomb blast near a bus stop killed three people and wounded 15 in southern Baghdad. A bomb explosion near an outdoor market killed three people in Mhamoudiya town, just south of Baghdad.
Another car bomb went off near a row of restaurants in the Shiite town of Balad Ruz, killing four and wounding 14. Balad Ruz is 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Baghdad."
---Associated Press via Yahoo.com, July 4, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 8, Toronto Blue Jays 3
July 4, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, July 4, 2015
Referendum in Greece: Voters Say "NO" to European Bailout, Giving Big Victory to the Greek Political Left
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photo of a European Flag and a Greek Flag flying with the Acropolis in the background in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015; AP photo of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at an Athens, Greece polling station on Sunday, July 5, 2015
Above: Map of Greece
Above: AP photo of an Athens, Greece polling station where prospective voters wait to cast ballots in the national referendum held on Sunday, July 5, 2015; AP photo of a Greek Flag being waved in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of "NO" supporters in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of people waving Greek flags in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015; AP photo of "NO" supporters in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of a person waving a Greek flag in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015
"Greeks overwhelmingly rejected conditions of a rescue package from creditors on Sunday, throwing the future of the country's euro zone membership into further doubt and deepening a standoff with lenders.
As the euro slid more than 1 percent against the dollar and European stock and bond markets were poised to take a sharp hit with the resumption of trade on Monday, stunned European leaders called a summit for Tuesday to discuss their next move.
Thousands of jubilant Greeks waving flags and bursting fire crackers poured into Athens' central square as official figures showed 61 percent of Greeks had rejected a deal that would have imposed more austerity measures on an already ravaged economy."
"Greece lurched into uncharted territory and an uncertain future in Europe's common currency Sunday after voters overwhelmingly rejected demands by international creditors for more austerity measures in exchange for a bailout of its bankrupt economy.
Results showed 61 percent voted 'no,' compared with 38 percent for 'yes,' with 97 percent of the vote counted. The referendum — Greece's first in more than four decades — came amid severe restrictions on financial transactions in the country, imposed last week to stem a bank run that accelerated after the vote was called.
Thousands of jubilant government supporters celebrated in Syntagma Square in front of Parliament, waving Greek flags and chanting 'No, no, no!'
It was a decisive victory for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who had gambled the future of his 5-month-old coalition government — and his country — in an all-or-nothing game of brinkmanship with Greece's creditors from other European countries that use the euro currency, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank."
"Greeks delivered a shocking rebuff to Europe’s leaders on Sunday, decisively rejecting a deal offered by the country’s creditors in a historic vote that could redefine Greece’s place in Europe and shake the Continent’s financial stability.
As people gathered to celebrate in Athens’s central Syntagma Square, the Interior Ministry reported that with more than 90 percent of the vote tallied, 61 percent of the voters had said no to a deal that would have imposed greater austerity measures on the beleaguered country.
The no votes carried virtually every district in the country, handing a sweeping victory to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in January vowing to reject new austerity measures, which he called an injustice and economically self-defeating. Late last month he walked away from negotiations in frustration at the creditors’ demands, called the referendum and urged Greeks to vote no as a way to give him more bargaining power."
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Tampa Bay Rays 8, New York Yankees 1
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York City on July 5, 2015
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: United States 5, Japan 2
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photos of U.S. soccer players celebrating goals against Japan in the championship game of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, a game won by the U.S. women's team 5-2 over Japan on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of U.S. women's soccer player Abby Wambach holding an American flag in the wake of the 5-2 U.S. victory over Japan in the championship game of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, July 5, 2015
"The Women’s World Cup began uncertainly for midfielder Carli Lloyd. But it quickly built toward predatory dependability, then concluded Sunday in a display of startling deliverance.
Lloyd scored the quickest goal in a Women’s World Cup final, slicing a shot with the outside of her left foot from a corner kick in the third minute of a 5-2 victory over Japan, as the United States became the first team to win the tournament three times.
Lloyd was far from done, becoming the first player to score three goals in the final of this tournament. All came in the first 16 minutes, before an ecstatic announced crowd of 53,341 at BC Place Stadium, including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The United States built a 4-0 lead, was never really threatened as Japan closed the gap to 4-2, and found redemption after losing to Japan in a penalty shootout in the final of the 2011 Women’s World Cup."
---New York Times, July 5, 2015
South Carolina Senate Votes 37 to 3 to Remove Confederate Flag from State Capitol Grounds
July 6, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of Confederate Flag supporters in Columbia, South Carolina on July 6, 2015
"The South Carolina Senate voted Monday to pull the Confederate flag off the Capitol grounds, clearing the way for a historic measure that could remove the banner more than five decades after it was first flown above the Statehouse to protest integration.
A second vote will be needed Tuesday to send the proposal to the House, where it faces a less certain future. But Monday's 37-3 vote was well over the two-thirds majority needed to advance the bill.
If the House passes the same measure, the flag and flagpole could be removed as soon as Gov. Nikki Haley signs the papers. The flag would be lowered for the last time and shipped off to the state's Confederate Relic Room, near where the last Confederate flag to fly over the Statehouse dome is stored.
The vote came at the end of a day of debate in which several white senators said they had come to understand why their black colleagues felt the flag no longer represented the valor of Southern soldiers but the racism that led the South to separate from the United States more than 150 years ago."
"The South Carolina Senate voted Monday to remove the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the State House. The bipartisan proposal, which emerged after last month’s massacre at a historic black church in Charleston, was approved by a 37-to-3 vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The Senate has one remaining ratification vote, now virtually assured of success.
The debate will shift to the House of Representatives, which Republicans also dominate, where the timeline for — and tenor of — the debate remains less clear.
The Senate’s vote on Monday marked a resounding shift in South Carolina, where less than three weeks ago removing the Confederate battle flag from a memorial near the State House was viewed as politically impossible."
---New York Times, July 6, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 3, Washington Nationals 2
July 6, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals in Washington, D.C. on July 6, 2015
"Frustrated and angry eurozone leaders fearing for the future of their common currency gave the Greek prime minister a last-minute chance Tuesday to finally come up with a viable proposal on how to save his country from financial ruin.
Overcoming their surprise when Alexis Tsipras failed to present them with a detailed reform blueprint, the leaders reluctantly agreed to a final summit on Sunday, saying the days leading up to it could give both sides an opportunity to stave off collapse of the struggling but defiant member nation.
Underscoring the gravity of the challenge, European Union President Donald Tusk decided to call all 28 EU leaders to Brussels, because, for the bloc, it 'is maybe the most critical moment in our history.'
French President Francois Hollande insisted much was at stake. 'It's not just the problem of Greece — it's the future of the European Union,' he said.
Highlighting the rising anger with Tsipras over months of foot-dragging and surprising negotiating twists, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had a stark warning for Greece.
'We have a Grexit scenario, prepared in detail,' he said, apparently referring to the situation in which Greece would be forced out of the currency union."
---Associated Press, July 7, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 4, Miami Marlins 3
July 7, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Boston Red Sox and the Miami Marlins on July 7, 2015
"The Confederate battle flag that has flown at the South Carolina State House for more than 50 years will soon be gone after lawmakers capped a tension-filled session early on Thursday and voted to remove it from the grounds of the State Capitol.
The final vote in the State House of Representatives, 94 to 20, was well above the two-thirds majority that was required to move the bill toward the desk of Gov. Nikki R. Haley, a Republican who called for the flag to come down after last month’s massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston."
"More than 50 years after South Carolina raised a Confederate flag at its Statehouse to protest the civil rights movement, the state is getting ready to remove the rebel banner.
A bill pulling down the flag from the Capitol's front lawn and the flagpole it flies on passed the South Carolina House early Thursday morning. It should get to Gov. Nikki Haley's desk before the end of the day.
The governor promised to sign it quickly, but didn't say exactly when. That's important, because the bill requires the flag be taken down within 24 hours of her pen hitting the paper and shipped to the Confederate Relic Room.
There were hugs, tears and high fives in the House chamber after the vote. Members who waited decades to see this day snapped selfies and pumped their fists. But even among the celebrations, there was more than a bit of sadness.
After the Civil War, the flag was first flown over the dome of South Carolina's Capitol in 1961 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the war. It stayed as a protest to the Civil Rights movement, only moving in 2000 from the dome to its current location.
The push that would bring down the Confederate flag for good only started after nine black churchgoers, including state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, were gunned down during Bible study at the historic Emanuel African Episcopal Church in Charleston on June 17. Police said the white gunman's motivation was racial hatred. Then three days later, photos surfaced of the suspect, Dylann Roof, holding Confederate flags."
---Associated Press, July 9, 2015
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch Announces that Federal Benefits Apply Nationwide to Same-Sex Couples
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; President Barack Obama
"Federal marriage benefits will become available to same-sex couples in all 50 states, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Thursday, a change that follows the Supreme Court’s historic ruling that all same-sex couples in the country have the right to get married.
Lynch said that officials with the Justice Department and two government agencies that had been limited in how they handled benefits and same-sex couples — the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs — worked quickly to expand these marriage benefits to people who had previously not had access to them."
"Same-sex married couples can start applying for Social Security and veterans benefits for spouses in all 50 states, but there are still issues to resolve as the federal government works to implement the Supreme Court ruling allowing gay couples to marry nationwide.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Thursday the federal government is making marriage benefits available to same-sex couples in every state.
The vast majority of federal marriage benefits were already available to same-sex couples, following a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the federal ban on gay marriage. However, some Social Security and veterans benefits for spouses were still denied to these couples if they lived in states that did not recognize their marriages."
---Associated Press, July 9, 2015
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Signs Bill into Law that Removes the Confederate Flag from Statehouse Grounds
"Saying South Carolina's history has forever changed, Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill Thursday to relegate the Confederate flag to the state's 'relic room,' more than 50 years after the rebel banner began flying at the Statehouse to protest the civil rights movement.
Compelled to act by the slaughter of nine African-Americans at a church Bible study, Gov. Nikki Haley praised lawmakers for acknowledging that the long-celebrated symbol is too painful and divisive to keep promoting.
'The Confederate flag is coming off the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse,' Haley said before signing the bill. 'We will bring it down with dignity and we will make sure it is stored in its rightful place.'
Police then surrounded the rebel flag with barricades and rope, a siege of sorts that will end Friday after the banner is furled for the last time at a 10 a.m. ceremony."
"South Carolina, the first state to secede from the union, dispatched with a lasting symbol of the Civil War on Thursday as Gov. Nikki R. Haley signed a law removing the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the State House.
The flag, which flies in front of the graceful 19th-century capitol building here, is set to come down at 10 a.m. Friday."
---New York Times, July 9, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 4, Minnesota Twins 2
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins on July 9, 2015
South Carolina Confederate Flag Taken Down from Statehouse Grounds
July 10, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of South Carolina law enforcement officers removing the Confederate Battle Flag from a flagpole on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina on July 10, 2015
Above: AP photo of a South Carolina law enforcement officer carrying the Confederate Battle Flag away from where it had flown on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina on July 10, 2015
Above: AP photo of a South Carolina law enforcement honor guard handing over the just-removed Confederate Battle Flag to a museum curator in Columbia, South Carolina in July 10, 2015
"South Carolina pulled the Confederate flag from its place of honor at the Statehouse on Friday, marking a milestone in how America commemorates the war that tore the United States apart 150 years ago.
Many people believed the rebel banner would fly forever in the first state to leave the Union, despite bitter feelings that remained after the flag was demoted from atop the Capitol dome to a Confederate monument out front 15 years ago.
But the killings of nine black church members during a Bible study in Charleston last month suddenly changed the political truths and consequences surrounding Civil War symbols.
The battle flag unfurled to assert white power and protest the civil rights protest in the 1960s had been defended by white Republican leaders until last month as a symbol of Southern pride. After the church attack, even supporters felt compelled to acknowledge that the flag also represents racial hatred.
'No lie can live forever. That flag is a lie,' South Carolina NAACP President Lonnie Randolph said.
The flag came down Friday without incident, in a 6-minute ceremony, amid a crowd of up to 10,000 people chanting 'USA, USA,' and 'hey, hey, hey, goodbye.'
A multi-racial honor guard of South Carolina troopers wearing dress-gray uniforms and white gloves carefully folded and rolled it up. The flag was then taken to the state's Confederate Relic Room to be put in a new multimillion-dollar display. Later Friday, the 30-foot pole it flew on was yanked out after several mighty tugs from a crane."
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Baltimore Orioles 3, Washington Nationals 2
July 10, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland on July 10, 2015
"Donald Trump, the real estate mogul and reality television star who has taken center stage in the race for the Republican presidential nomination this week, delivered a rambling monologue on Saturday, dismissing a long list of critics — including Jeb Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Macy’s — while rallying what he termed a new silent majority of voters.
Mr. Trump had less to say about immigration, the topic on which his comments have garnered so much attention, than about those who have criticized him. For more than an hour, he ticked through a list of businesses and candidates who have tried to censure him since his long-shot campaign began three weeks ago, and made light of their practices and intelligence.
'How can I be tied with this guy?' Trump said of Mr. Bush, whom many consider the Republican front-runner. 'He’s terrible. He’s weak on immigration.'"
"An estimated 2,000 vehicles, mostly motorcycles and trucks adorned with Rebel flags, took part in a rally and ride Sunday afternoon in support of keeping a Confederate flag flying in front of the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala."
"Forced by his nation’s creditors into broad new concessions to avert financial collapse, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece returned home on Monday with just days to sell the deal to fractured lawmakers and a dazed electorate.
The agreement he struck with other European leaders early Monday after a contentious all-night bargaining session would give Greece the chance to receive its third international bailout in five years, a package of as much as 86 billion euros, or $96 billion, as well as easier repayment terms on some of its existing debt of more than 300 billion euros and a short-term economic stimulus plan.
But it would require Greece to swallow a wide array of measures, including pension cuts and tax increases, and effectively subject itself to intensive international oversight in order to qualify for the aid."
---New York Times, July 13, 2015
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Declares his Presidential Candidacy
"Scott Walker vowed Monday to fight for America's interests abroad and for his conservative policies in Washington, launching a 2016 Republican presidential bid by highlighting his clashes with labor unions as his campaign taunted his Democratic critics.
The 47-year-old second-term governor embraced his 'fighter' reputation as he formally declared his candidacy in an evening speech, his family at his side, and protesters gathered just outside the convention hall."
---Associated Press, July 13, 2015
U.S and Iran Reach Historic Agreement Regarding Iran's Nuclear Program
July 14, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of President Barack Obama (flanked by Vice President Joe Biden) discussing the multinational agreement with Iran over the Iranian nuclear program, July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna, Austria on July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of President of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Iran addressing his nation via television on July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of representatives of China, France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, Great Britain, and the United States assembling for a group photo in Vienna, Austria on July 14, 2015
"Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal on Tuesday, capping more than a decade of negotiations with an agreement that could transform the Middle East.
U.S. President Barack Obama hailed a step towards a 'more hopeful world' and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said it proved that 'constructive engagement works'. But Israel pledged to do what it could to halt what it called an 'historic surrender'.
The agreement will now be debated in the U.S. Congress, but Obama said he would veto any measure to block it."
"Overcoming decades of hostility, Iran, the United States, and five other world powers struck a historic accord Tuesday to check Tehran's nuclear efforts short of building a bomb. The agreement could give Iran access to billions in frozen assets and oil revenue, stave off more U.S. military action in the Middle East and reshape the tumultuous region.
The deal sets in motion a years-long test of Iran's willingness to keep its promises to the world — and the ability of international inspectors to monitor compliance. It also sets the White House up for a contentious fight with a wary Congress and more rocky relations with Israel, whose leaders furiously opposed the agreement.
Appealing to skeptics, President Barack Obama declared that the accord 'offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it.'
Under terms of the deal, the culmination of 20 months of arduous diplomacy, Iran must dismantle much of its nuclear program in order to secure relief from biting sanctions that have battered its economy. International inspectors can now press for visits to Iran's military facilities, though access is not guaranteed. Centrifuges will keep spinning, though in lesser quantities, and uranium can still be enriched, though at lower levels.
In a key compromise, Iran agreed to continuation of the U.N.'s arms embargo on the country for up to five more years and ballistic missile restrictions for up to eight years. Washington had sought to keep the arms ban in place, while Russia and China joined Iran in pushing for an immediate suspension.
On the streets of Tehran, Iranians honked their horns and celebrated in the city's main square. President Hassan Rouhani said a 'new chapter' had begun in his nation's relations with the world, even as he denied Iran had ever pursued a nuclear weapon.
While the U.S. partnered in the talks with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, the decades of tensions between the U.S. and Iran put the two countries at the forefront of the negotiations."
"Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States said they had reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.
The deal culminates 20 months of negotiations on an agreement that President Obama had long sought as the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Whether it portends a new relationship between the United States and Iran — after decades of coups, hostage-taking, terrorism and sanctions — remains a bigger question."
"The final deal with Iran announced by the United States and other major world powers does what no amount of political posturing and vague threats of military action had managed to do before. It puts strong, verifiable limits on Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon for at least the next 10 to 15 years and is potentially one of the most consequential accords in recent diplomatic history with the ability not just to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon but also to reshape Middle East politics."
---The Editorial Board of The New York Times, July 14, 2015
"Barack Obama is not a modest man, but when it comes to assessing his or any president’s place in the long American story, he has been heard to say, 'We just try to get our paragraph right.' Yet the way a raft of recent events have broken sharply in his favor, Obama suddenly seems well on his way to writing a whole page—or at least a big, fat passage—in the history books.
From the Supreme Court decisions upholding his signature health care plan and the right of gay Americans to marry, to contested passage of fast track trade authority, the opening of normal diplomatic relations with Cuba and an international agreement to curtail Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Obama is on a policy and political roll that would have seem unimaginable to many in Washington only a few months ago."
---Todd Purdum, Politico, July 16, 2015
2015 Major League All Star Game in Cincinnati, Ohio: American League 6, National League 3
July 14, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of National League pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds in action against the American League in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game held in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 14, 2015
"Scientists have released the first up-close images ever of Pluto and its big moon Charon. And they say they're amazed.
The long-awaited images were unveiled Wednesday in Maryland, home to mission operations for NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
A zoom-in of Pluto reveals an icy range about as high as the Rockies. To the scientists' great surprise, there are no impact craters. On Charon, deep troughs and canyons can be seen.
The images were collected as New Horizons swept within 7,700 miles of Pluto on Tuesday, becoming Pluto's first visitor in its 4.5 billion-year existence."
---Associated Press, July 15, 2015
Culture War: Confederate Flags Greet President Obama in Oklahoma City
July 15, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: ABC News photo via AP of an Oklahoma City crowd--some waving Confederate Flags--near a hotel where President Obama was staying on July 15, 2015
"President Obama was greeted by people waving Confederate flags as he arrived at his hotel in Oklahoma City Wednesday night.
In a crowd of several dozen people, about 10 of them waved Confederate flags as the president's motorcade arrived at his hotel. One person also waved a U.S. flag."
"The notion that the Confederate flag is merely a symbol of Southern 'heritage,' detached from slavery and Jim Crow, has always been a pernicious lie. It shouldn’t have taken the murder of the Emanuel Nine, by flag-waving white supremacist Dylann Roof, to make that the new national consensus. But it did.
Now the flag’s racist meaning is crystal clear, which is why it’s becoming an ever more beloved symbol for racist morons, even outside the old Confederacy. The ugly Confederate flag tableau that greeted President Obama in Oklahoma City Wednesday night illuminated this new reality. It follows a similar protest earlier this month, when the president visited Nashville, Tenn. Over in Durant, Okla., where the president was scheduled to speak, there was also a Confederate flag protest earlier in the day."
---Joan Walsh, Salon, July 16, 2015
Muslim Radical Kills Four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee
"A 24-year-old Kuwaiti-born gunman opened fire on a military recruiting station on Thursday, then raced to a second military site where he killed four United States Marines, prompting a federal domestic terrorism investigation. Three other people, including a Marine Corps recruiter and a police officer, were wounded, according to law enforcement officials.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the gunman, who also died Thursday, as Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, who became a naturalized United States citizen and went to high school and college in Chattanooga. Although counterterrorism officials had not been investigating Mr. Abdulazeez before Thursday’s shooting, federal officials familiar with the inquiry said that his father had been investigated years ago for giving money to an organization with possible ties to terrorists."
"A gunman unleashed a barrage of fire at a recruiting center and another U.S. military site a few miles apart in Chattanooga on Thursday, killing at least four Marines before he was shot to death by police, and sending service members scrambling for cover as bullets smashed through the windows.
Federal authorities said they were investigating the possibility it was an act of terrorism, but have no evidence yet that anyone but a lone gunman was involved. They also said there was no indication that the general public was in danger. The FBI has taken charge of the case.
Authorities identified the gunman as Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, of Hixson, Tennessee, though the spelling of his first name was in dispute, with federal officials and records giving at least four variations.
A U.S. official said there was no indication Abdulazeez was on the radar of federal law enforcement before the shootings. The official was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The shootings took place minutes apart, with the gunman stopping his car and spraying dozens of bullets first at a recruiting center for all branches of the military, then apparently driving to a Navy-Marine training center 7 miles away, authorities and witnesses said. The attacks were over within a half-hour.
The shooter fired at the recruitment center from inside his car, but then got out of the vehicle to shoot the four marines at the training center, FBI agent Ed Reinhold told a news conference late Thursday.
In addition to the Marines killed, three people were reported wounded, including a sailor who was seriously hurt."
Deadly Bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq Kills Over 100; ISIS Claims Credit
July 17, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Iraq; AP photo of the aftermath of the July 17th ISIS suicide car bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq--photo taken on July 18, 2015
Above: AP photo of the aftermath of the July 17th ISIS suicide car bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq---photo taken on July 18, 2015
"More than 100 people were killed in a suicide car bombing at a busy market in an Iraqi town on Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks carried out by Islamic State militants since they overran large parts of the country.
The blast brought down several buildings in Khan Bani Saad, about 30 km (20 miles) northeast of Baghdad, crushing to death people who were celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police and medics said.
Islamic State, which controls large parts of northern and western Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack in the mixed eastern province of Diyala where Khan Bani Saad is located and said the target was 'rejectionists', as the group refers to Shi'ite Muslims.
Angry crowds went on the rampage after the explosion, smashing the windows of cars parked in the street in grief and anger. Body parts were flung onto the roofs of nearby buildings by the force of the blast, police said."
"A car bomb has exploded in a busy market in an Iraqi town, killing at least 100 adults and children celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police have said.
Dozens of people were also wounded by the blast in Khan Bani Saad, approximately 30km northeast of the capital Baghdad.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter and said the car was carrying around three tonnes of explosives.
Angry crowds went on the rampage after the explosion, smashing the windows of cars parked in the street in grief and anger."
"A car bomb has killed at least 80 people, both adults and children, at a busy market near Baghdad in one of the deadliest attacks in Iraq since Islamic State militants overran large parts of the country.
The force of the blast in Khan Bani Saad, about 20 miles (30 km) north-east of the capital, brought down several buildings, crushing people who had been celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police and medics said.
Isis militants later claimed responsibility and said in a statement that the suicide bomber had used three tonnes of explosive. Isis, which controls large parts of northern and western Iraq, had previously carried out attacks in the eastern province of Diyala where Khan Bani Saad is located."
"A suicide car bombing in Iraq's eastern Diyala province killed at least 80 people gathered at a marketplace to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Iraqi police officials said at least 50 people were also wounded in the attack in the town of Khan Beni Saad. Hospital officials confirmed the death tolls. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press."
---Associated Press, July 17, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 7, Baltimore Orioles 3
July 17, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, July 17, 2015
"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized Sen. John McCain's military record at a conservative forum Saturday, saying the party's 2008 nominee and former prisoner of war was a 'war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured.'
The comment drew some boos from some in the audience — and quick condemnation from rivals who have been waiting for such an opening to rein in the outspoken reality television personality. Trump has surged in polls recently, frustrating many in his party concerned that he has hijacked the 2016 Republican primary and damaged the GOP brand.
Trump and McCain traded barbs earlier this week. McCain said Trump's controversial comments about immigrants had 'fired up the crazies' at a rally in Phoenix. Trump retorted that the Arizona Republican was 'a dummy' who graduated at the bottom of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy."
---Associated Press, July 18, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: St. Louis Cardinals 12, New York Mets 2
"Presidential candidate Donald Trump refused to apologize on Sunday for his remarks about the war record of U.S. Senator John McCain despite a growing fire storm among fellow Republicans, and said he had no plans to drop out of the race.
Asked on ABC's 'This Week' if he owed McCain an apology for saying the former prisoner in North Vietnam was only considered a war hero because he was captured, Trump said, 'No, not at all.' He again blasted McCain's support for fellow veterans.
'John McCain has failed,' Trump said, citing delays in healthcare for veterans. 'I believe that I will do far more for veterans than John McCain has done for many, many years, with all talk no action ... Nothing gets done.'
McCain, a Navy fighter pilot, was imprisoned and tortured in a Hanoi prison for five years during the Vietnam War after being shot down."
"Republicans' swift condemnation of Donald Trump's disparaging comments about Sen. John McCain's military service marks a turning point in the party's cautious approach to the billionaire-turned-presidential candidate.
But Trump simply may not care; indeed he seemed to bask in his McCain takedown."
"But writing Trump off is dangerous. The billionaire may play the buffoon, but he is an important one — one whom Americans appear to adore. A USA Today-Suffolk University poll released Tuesday shows him leading all Republican presidential hopefuls. And while establishment candidates in both parties might want to ignore him, or express a milder version of his anti-immigration opinions, an enormous number of voters clearly like his views. Pretending they don’t allows Trump and other immigration firebrands, such as Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz, to resuscitate a century-old nativism that could stick around beyond this election. Given that the United States is undergoing a demographic diversity explosion, our workforce — our very future — is tied to people Trump is rallying support against."
---William Frey, Washington Post, July 17, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Houston Astros 10, Texas Rangers 0
"More than a half century of Cold War and lingering enmity came to an abrupt but quiet end on Monday as the United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations.
The new era began with little fanfare when an agreement between the two nations to resume normal ties on July 20 came into force just after midnight Sunday and the diplomatic missions of each country were upgraded from interests sections to embassies. When clocks struck 12:00 in Washington and Havana, they tolled a knell for policy approaches spawned and hardened over the five decades since President John F. Kennedy first tangled with youthful revolutionary Fidel Castro over Soviet expansion in the Americas."
---Associated Press, July 20, 2015
The UN Security Council Approves the Iranian Nuclear Deal
July 20, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo United Nations Security Council meeting on July 20, 2015
"The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution that creates the basis for international economic sanctions against Iran to be lifted, a move that incited a furious reaction in Israel and potentially sets up an angry showdown in Congress.
The 15-0 vote for approval of the resolution — 104 pages long including annexes and lists — was written in Vienna by diplomats who negotiated a landmark pact last week that limits Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for ending the sanctions.
Iran has pledged to let in international monitors to inspect its facilities for the next 10 years and other measures that were devised to guarantee that its nuclear energy activities are purely peaceful.
The Security Council resolution, which is legally binding, lays out the steps required only for the lifting of United Nations sanctions."
"The U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously endorsed the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and authorized a series of measures leading to the end of U.N. sanctions that have hurt Iran's economy.
But the measure also provides a mechanism for U.N. sanctions to 'snap back' in place if Iran fails to meet its obligations.
Both U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power and Iran's U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo called the agreement an important achievement for diplomacy, the Iranian promising to be 'resolute in fulfilling its obligations' and the American pledging to be vigilant in ensuring they are carried out.
The resolution had been agreed to by the five veto-wielding council members, who along with Germany negotiated the nuclear deal with Iran. It was co-sponsored by all 15 members of the Security Council. The European Union's foreign ministers endorsed the agreement later Monday in Brussels and pledged to implement it."
---Associated Press, July 20, 2015
Cuban Flag Raised Over Embassy in Washington, D.C.
"The Cuban national flag fluttered in the Washington sun Monday as the U.S. and Cuba formally ended more than a half-century of estrangement, formally re-establishing relations severed at the height of the Cold War. But the symbolism of an embassy ceremony could not conceal deep, lingering conflicts between the nations.
In the sweltering July heat and humidity of America's capital, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over the flag-raising ceremony just hours after an agreement to restore diplomatic ties broken in 1961 took effect at the stroke of midnight. He later met with Secretary of State John Kerry, becoming the first Cuban foreign minister to set foot in the State Department since 1958.
Kerry announced that he would make a reciprocal visit to Cuba to dedicate the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Aug. 14. He spoke of a need to move beyond the enmity that was spawned as President John F. Kennedy grappled with Fidel Castro's revolution and Soviet expansionism and that hardened over the 54 years that followed."
"After more than a half-century of Cold War estrangement, the United States reopened its six-story embassy in Havana on Monday, and Cuba raised a flag outside its own stately embassy in Washington.
The resumption of diplomatic relations between the two nations — a historic milestone in the official thaw that President Obama set in motion last year — was the culmination of months of negotiations to overcome decades of enmity.
But the promise of restoring full ties remained remote. Even as top American and Cuban diplomats held a meeting at the State Department for the first time in decades, Cuba’s foreign minister railed against the United States’ travel restrictions, trade embargo and presence at the military base at Guantánamo Bay."
---New York Times, July 20, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit 5, Seattle 4
"Saying 'big ideas change the world,' Ohio Gov. John Kasich declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination Tuesday.
Kasich, 63, launched his campaign at Ohio State University before a crowd of 2,000. The event marked the entry of a strong-willed and sometimes abrasive governor into a nomination race that now has 16 notable Republicans."
---Associated Press, July 21, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: San Francisco Giants 9, San Diego Padres 3
July 21, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres in San Diego, California on July 21, 2015
"The gunman who killed nine people at a South Carolina church in June plotted his attack for months, choosing his target because it was a nationally known historically black church, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said on Wednesday as she announced federal hate crime charges against him.
The man charged in the case, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is also accused of killing people while obstructing religious freedom, a charge that carries a possible death sentence, though Ms. Lynch said the Justice Department had not decided whether to seek it."
Right-wing Gunman Kills 2 and Wounds Several in a Lafayette, Louisiana Movie Theater
July 23, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Undated photo of John Russell Houser, the gunman who opened fire killing 2 and wounding several in a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater on July 23, 2015; Trainwreck movie poster
Above:
Above: AP map regarding the deadly shooting at a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater on July 23, 2015
Above: Website for Tea Party Nation purporting to be the personal page of John Russell Houser
"A lone gunman sitting in a packed movie theater stood up about 20 minutes into the showing of 'Trainwreck' and began firing into the crowd, killing two and wounding at least nine others Thursday night before fatally shooting himself, authorities said.
The gunman initially tried escaping by blending into the fleeing crowd, but turned back when he saw police heading inside from the parking lot, authorities said. Officers tailing him back into the theater then heard a single gunshot and found him dead inside, police said.
They described the shooter as a 58-year-old 'lone white male' with a criminal history but did not immediately disclose his name. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft said the gunman was by himself and started the rampage by shooting the two people sitting in front of him.
At least one theatergoer described the attack, saying an older man stood up about 20 minutes into the 7:10 p.m. showing of the movie 'Trainwreck' at the Grand 16 theater in Lafayette and began shooting."
"Three people died and nine were wounded after a gunman opened fire in a movie theater here on Thursday night, officials said. The gunman was among the dead.
The shooting took place shortly before 7:30 p.m. during a showing of the comedy “Trainwreck” at the Grand Theater in Lafayette, a 16-screen multiplex on one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. Chief Jim Craft of the Lafayette Police Department said that police officers entered the theater complex while the shooting was going on. When they got inside the theater, they found the gunman dead of a self-inflicted wound."
"John Russell Houser, the man police say opened fire inside a Lafayette, La., movie theater on Thursday night, had boasted in an online profile that he made dozens of appearances on television talk shows.
The hosts of those shows said Friday that Houser over-stated his role, but they do remember him as an argument-starting guest who was angry about high taxes and the growing power of women."
"The picture that emerged Friday of the gunman who killed two women and wounded nine other people in a theater here was one filled with instability and rage, from a history of mental illness, to vandalizing and booby-trapping a house, to venting his fury at women’s rights, minorities and liberals.
The gunman, John Russell Houser, 59, of Phenix City, Ala., who had a history of mental illness, took his own life in the theater here Thursday night, after gunning down the others during a screening of the comedy 'Trainwreck,' the police said."
"In the early '90s, he was a regular guest on a local call-in television show where he'd be the conservative Republican pitted against a Democrat to debate issues. The host, Calvin Floyd, said Houser had radical opinions that included advocating violence against abortion providers, keeping women out of the workplace and fearing a military takeover of civilian government.
'He made a lot of wild accusations,' said Floyd, who hosted the show on WLTZ-TV in Columbus for more than two decades. 'He could make the phones ring.'
Yet Houser had a dark side that went way beyond talk. In 1989, court records say, he was accused of hiring someone to burn down a Columbus lawyer's law office. A woman and her father say he virtually destroyed a foreclosed home he was being evicted from in 2014 after they bought it. His wife and other relatives filed papers accusing him of domestic violence in 2008.
In Lafayette, Louisiana, police said Houser stood up during a showing of the movie 'Trainwreck' Thursday night and started shooting without a word. Two people were killed and nine were injured; authorities said Houser shot himself to death as officers pursued him in the theater."
---Associated Press, July 24, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Miami Marlins 4, San Diego Padres 0
"Turkish warplanes pounded Islamic State targets in Syria for the first time on Friday, with President Tayyip Erdogan promising more decisive action against both the jihadists and Kurdish militants."
---Reuters, July 24, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: St. Louis Cardinals 4, Atlanta Braves 2
"Turkish fighter jets, which on Friday attacked Islamic State targets in Syria, have launched a wave of airstrikes in northern Iraq, targeting camps of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party for the first time in four years, the prime minister’s office said Saturday.
The Iraq raids, which began late Friday and continued into Saturday, effectively ended an unstable two-year cease-fire between the Turkish government and the Kurdish militants, also known by the initials of their Kurdish name, P.K.K. After a three-decade conflict that claimed at least 40,000 lives, the two sides reached a fragile peace in 2013, though there have been a few minor clashes since then."
---New York Times, July 25, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 5, Colorado Rockies 2
July 25, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies in Denver on Saturday, July 25, 2015
"Real estate magnate Donald Trump moved to the top of the 2016 Republican presidential field in a CNN poll released on Sunday, edging rival Jeb Bush and gaining support from Republicans in the last month despite a series of controversial statements.
Trump was backed by 18 percent of Republicans in the CNN poll, which was conducted entirely after his July 18 criticism of Republican Senator John McCain's war record. His lead over Bush, a former Florida governor who was at 15 percent, was within the poll's margin of error.
'There is a movement going on. This is more than me,' Trump said on CNN's 'State of the Union,' saying the poll results were not surprising. 'People are tired of these incompetent politicians in Washington that can't get anything done.'
Trump's support among Republicans increased six percentage points since late June despite a flood of rebukes of Trump after he said McCain, a former Navy pilot who was tortured during more than five years in captivity during the Vietnam War, was not a war hero because he was captured.
Trump and Bush were joined near the top of the pack by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who had 10 percent support among the Republican and Republican-leaning independent registered voters who were surveyed in the CNN poll.
None of the other Republican candidates gained double-digit support. Sixteen Republicans are running for the party's presidential nomination in the November 2016 election."
"Donald Trump has surged to the lead in the New Hampshire GOP presidential primary and virtually erased Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s advantage in the Iowa caucuses, according to new NBC News/Marist polls released Sunday.
In Iowa, Walker still tops the field with 19 percent, the poll shows — only two points ahead of Trump, who garners 17 percent. Interviews for the poll began on July 14 — the day after the Walker campaign’s launch event in Wisconsin. The only other candidate in double digits is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, at 12 percent."
---Politico, July 26, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: San Francisco Giants 4, Oakland A's 3
July 26, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of San Francisco pitcher Tim Hudson in action against the Oakland A's in San Francisco, California on July 26, 2015
"A University of Cincinnati police officer was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge in what a prosecutor called 'a senseless, asinine shooting' of an unarmed man during a minor traffic stop. Officials say it was the first time such a charge had been leveled against an officer in the county.
The Hamilton County prosecuting attorney, Joseph T. Deters, released a much anticipated video of the shooting of Samuel Dubose taken by the officer’s body camera that he described as crucial evidence that Mr. Dubose did not act aggressively or pose a threat to Officer Ray Tensing, and that Officer Tensing had lied about being dragged by Mr. Dubose’s car. A grand jury, Mr. Deters announced, indicted the officer on a murder charge, punishable by life in prison, and a voluntary manslaughter charge."
---New York Times, July 29, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 2, Tampa Bay Rays 1
"Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential field by a significant margin, according to a new Quinnipiac University national poll released Thursday.
The poll also indicates that Ohio Gov. John Kasich could ride a post-announcement bump onto the stage for next week’s debate in Cleveland, despite fears that Trump’s wall-to-wall media coverage had overshadowed his late entry into the race.
Fully 20 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters said they would vote for Trump if the primary were held today — the largest share any single candidate has received in Quinnipiac’s seven surveys over the past two years. That puts the brash real-estate magnate ahead of the two other candidates who earn double-digit support: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 13 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 10 percent.
It’s a four-way tie for fourth place — with pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio all at 6 percent. Kasich, at 5 percent, is tied for eighth place with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz."
July 2015
President Obama Announces that a U.S. Embassy Will Open in Cuba
July 1, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: President Barack Obama--flanked by Vice President Joe Biden--speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Above: President of the United States Barack Obama; President of Cuba Raul Castro
Associated Press: President Obama Announces that the United States and Cuba will Open Embassies, July 1, 2015
"After more than a half-century of hostility, the United States and Cuba declared Wednesday they will reopen embassies in each other's capitals this month, marking a historic full restoration of diplomatic relations between the Cold War foes.
For President Barack Obama, the opening of the U.S. Embassy in the heart of Havana is one of the most tangible demonstrations of his long-standing pledge to engage directly with U.S. adversaries. Heralding the embassy agreement, Obama declared: 'This is what change looks like.'
Cuban television broadcast Obama's statement live, underscoring the new spirit. In a letter to Obama, Cuban President Raul Castro praised the embassy announcement as a way to 'develop respectful relations and cooperation between our peoples and governments.'
Despite the historic step, the U.S. and Cuba are still grappling with deep divisions and mistrust."
---Associated Press, July 1, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 2, Minnesota Twins 1
July 1, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 1, 2015
Reds 2, Twins 1
Monthly U.S. Jobs Report: American Economy Adds 223,000 Jobs in June as Unemployment Falls to 5.3%
July 2, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: CNN chart of monthly U.S. jobs creation from June 2014 to June 2015; President Barack Obama
CNN: U.S. Jobs Report for June 2015
New York Times: Coverage of the Jobs Report for June 2015
"Good, but hardly great.
The economy added a healthy 223,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported Thursday, but other indicators, showing wages growing slowly and jobless Americans remaining on the sidelines, painted a grayer picture.
Indeed, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent, the lowest in seven years, that was driven largely by an exodus of people from the work force, rather than more Americans finding work. Moreover, the strong job gains for April and May, which had led many analysts to predict that the economy was picking up steam, were revised downward by 60,000 jobs."
---New York Times, July 2, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 12, Toronto Blue Jays 6
July 2, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Getty Images photo of a Boston Red Sox batter in action versus the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Canada on July 2, 2015
Boston 12, Toronto 6
Political Rallies in Greece Ahead of Referendum
July 3, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras during a July 3, 2015 rally in Athens, Greece, an event held in advocacy of rejecting a recently-proposed Greek bailout plan, i.e. voting "no" in the July 5, 2015 referendum
Above: Map of Greece
Above: AP photos of respective "No" (OXI) and "Yes" (NAI) supporters at Athens, Greece rallies, held on July 3, 2015, in advance of the impending national referendum on a potential bailout of the Greek financial system
Reuters: Political Rallies in Greece Ahead of Referendum on Bailout, July 3, 2015
"Greeks took to the streets in the tens of thousands on Friday in rival rallies that laid bare the deep divide heading into a referendum that may decide the country’s future in Europe’s single currency.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, elected in January on a promise to end six years of austerity, extolled a packed Syntagma square in central Athens to spurn the tough terms of an aid deal offered by international creditors to keep the country afloat.
His European partners say a ‘No’ vote will jeopardize Greece’s membership of the euro.
Tsipras says they are bluffing, fearing the fallout for Europe and the global economy. But a ‘Yes’ vote may bring him down, ushering in a new period of political instability for a country reeling from five days of shuttered banks and rationed cash withdrawals.
Framing Sunday’s ballot as a battle for democracy, freedom and European values, the 40-year-old left-wing leader told Greeks to 'turn your backs on those who terrorize you daily'.
'On Sunday, we are not just deciding that we are staying in Europe, but that we are deciding to live with dignity in Europe,' he told the crowd of at least 50,000.
His opponents accuse Tsipras of gambling Greece’s future with a rapid-fire plebiscite that a major European rights watchdog says falls short of international standards of fairness.
Three opinion polls published on Friday had the 'Yes' vote marginally ahead; a fourth put the 'No' camp 0.5 percent in front, but all were well within the margin of error."
---Reuters, July 3, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of the Greek Financial Crisis, July 3, 2015
"The brief but intense campaign in Greece's critical bailout referendum ends Friday, with simultaneous rallies in Athens supporting 'yes' and 'no' answers to a murky question in what opinion polls suggest will be a very close vote.
Thousands began gathering for the rallies, which were being held about 800 meters (half a mile) apart. Brief clashes broke out between a group of dozens of anti-establishment protesters and police at the tail end of the 'no' rally just as it was getting under way.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called the referendum last weekend, asking Greeks to decide whether to accept creditors' proposals for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans — even though those proposals are no longer on the table.
No campaigning is allowed the day before an election in Greece, so Friday's rallies would be the closing salvoes in the battle to persuade voters ahead of Sunday.
Tsipras says a 'no' vote would put him in a stronger position to seek a better deal for Greece within the 19-nation eurozone to reduce its 320 billion-euro national debt and make payments more sustainable.
In a televised address to the nation Friday, Tsipras urged Greeks to vote 'no to ultimatums, divisions and fear.' He emphasized that Sunday's referendum is not a vote on whether Greece will remain in the euro, Europe's joint currency.
But opposition parties, and many European officials, say a 'no' vote would drive Greece out of the euro and into an even more impoverished future."
---Associated Press, July 3, 2015
New York Times: Greek Court Says Referendum May Proceed as Scheduled
"The top administrative court of Greece declared on Friday that a referendum on a European bailout package is constitutional, allowing a potentially historic vote that could change the shape of Europe.
The ruling from the Council of State, which was expected, means the balloting can be held on Sunday as scheduled.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras renewed his call for Greeks to reject the terms of the bailout offer from the country’s European creditors, warning voters against caving in to 'blackmail.'
'I ask you to say no to ultimatums, blackmail and fear-mongering,' he said in a televised address. 'No to divisions, no to those who want to spread panic.'"
---New York Times, July 3, 2015
The Atlantic: Greece's "Yes" or "No" Referendum
"On Sunday, the people of Greece will help decide the financial future of their country. With the nation already in default and capital controls in place to prevent a run on the banks, it’s up to Greece’s citizens to decide what road the country will take from here.
The referendum—which asks Greeks to either vote yes or no to a current proposal from Eurogroup leaders to extend financing to the deeply indebted country— was called for by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras amid meetings of Eurozone leaders as they tried to come up with a deal that would allow the country to avoid default. The call for a vote effectively ended discussions.
Opponents of the current proposal from the Eurogroup feel that the austerity measures put forth by the Eurogroup’s leaders—which would includes things like tax hikes, pension cuts, and reductions in government jobs—are overly harsh and punitive, and could hurt Greeks more than help them."
---The Atlantic, July 4, 2015
Associated Press: Whither Goes the Incumbent Greek Government?
"Whether Greeks decide in Sunday's referendum to accept their lenders' bailout deal or reject it, the government's hold on power may be shakier than its brash prime minister has calculated, analysts say.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is banking on fellow Greeks to deliver a resounding 'no' in the popular vote that he believes will give him strong leverage in his negotiations with creditors to swing a softer bailout deal for a country ravaged by years of harsh austerity, deep recession and crushing poverty.
A win for the No campaign, the reasoning goes, could also furnish Tsipras with an endorsement for his five-month rule and allow his government to consolidate — and extend — its grip on power.
That may not be the case, analysts say, since a 'no' vote could still plunge Tsipras' position into uncertainty if negotiations drag on with lenders who see such the outcome as a Greek snub of the euro. Without a quick deal, banks could stay shuttered to keep their reserves from running dry."
---Associated Press, July 4, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Miami Marlins 2, Chicago Cubs 1
July 3, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Miami Marlins and the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Friday, July 3, 2015
Miami Marlins 2, Chicago Cubs 1
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 8, Toronto Blue Jays 6
July 3, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, July 3, 2015
Detroit 8, Toronto 6
Deadly Bombings in Iraq
July 4, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Map of Iraq
Reuters: Deadly Bombings in Iraq, July 4, 2015
"Two car bombs killed 11 people in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday, police and medical sources said, striking as many people were ending their daily Ramadan fast.
One bomb hit the mainly Shi'ite Amil district in the southwest of the city around dusk, killing eight people and wounding 27. The other hit a bus garage in Doura in the south of the capital, killing three people.
Northeast of Baghdad, in the town of Balad Roz, a third car bomb killed two people, local police said."
---Reuters, July 4, 2015
Yahoo.com: Deadly Bombings in the Baghdad Area, July 4, 2015
"A series of attacks, mainly car bombs, in Iraq killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens on Saturday, authorities said.
Police officials said the deadliest attack occurred Saturday night when a car bomb exploded on a commercial street in Baghdad's western neighborhood of Amil, killing nine people and wounding 24 others. Several shops and cars were damaged.
Earlier, police said a car bomb blast near a bus stop killed three people and wounded 15 in southern Baghdad. A bomb explosion near an outdoor market killed three people in Mhamoudiya town, just south of Baghdad.
Another car bomb went off near a row of restaurants in the Shiite town of Balad Ruz, killing four and wounding 14. Balad Ruz is 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Baghdad."
---Associated Press via Yahoo.com, July 4, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 8, Toronto Blue Jays 3
July 4, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, July 4, 2015
Detroit 8, Toronto 3
Referendum in Greece: Voters Say "NO" to European Bailout, Giving Big Victory to the Greek Political Left
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photo of a European Flag and a Greek Flag flying with the Acropolis in the background in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015; AP photo of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at an Athens, Greece polling station on Sunday, July 5, 2015
Above: Map of Greece
Above: AP photo of an Athens, Greece polling station where prospective voters wait to cast ballots in the national referendum held on Sunday, July 5, 2015; AP photo of a Greek Flag being waved in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of "NO" supporters in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of people waving Greek flags in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015; AP photo of "NO" supporters in Athens, Greece on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of a person waving a Greek flag in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece on Sunday, July 5, 2015
Associated Press: Updated Coverage of the Greek Referendum, July 5, 2015
Reuters: Greek Voters Say "NO" to Bailout, July 5, 2015
"Greeks overwhelmingly rejected conditions of a rescue package from creditors on Sunday, throwing the future of the country's euro zone membership into further doubt and deepening a standoff with lenders.
As the euro slid more than 1 percent against the dollar and European stock and bond markets were poised to take a sharp hit with the resumption of trade on Monday, stunned European leaders called a summit for Tuesday to discuss their next move.
Thousands of jubilant Greeks waving flags and bursting fire crackers poured into Athens' central square as official figures showed 61 percent of Greeks had rejected a deal that would have imposed more austerity measures on an already ravaged economy."
---Reuters, July 5, 2015
Associated Press: Greek Voters Choose "NO" in National Referendum, Potentially Rocking the Eurozone, July 5, 2015
"Greece lurched into uncharted territory and an uncertain future in Europe's common currency Sunday after voters overwhelmingly rejected demands by international creditors for more austerity measures in exchange for a bailout of its bankrupt economy.
Results showed 61 percent voted 'no,' compared with 38 percent for 'yes,' with 97 percent of the vote counted. The referendum — Greece's first in more than four decades — came amid severe restrictions on financial transactions in the country, imposed last week to stem a bank run that accelerated after the vote was called.
Thousands of jubilant government supporters celebrated in Syntagma Square in front of Parliament, waving Greek flags and chanting 'No, no, no!'
It was a decisive victory for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who had gambled the future of his 5-month-old coalition government — and his country — in an all-or-nothing game of brinkmanship with Greece's creditors from other European countries that use the euro currency, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank."
---Associated Press, July 5, 2015
Time: Greeks Vote "NO" in National Referendum, July 5, 2015
New York Times: Greek Voters Reject Bailout, July 5, 2015
"Greeks delivered a shocking rebuff to Europe’s leaders on Sunday, decisively rejecting a deal offered by the country’s creditors in a historic vote that could redefine Greece’s place in Europe and shake the Continent’s financial stability.
As people gathered to celebrate in Athens’s central Syntagma Square, the Interior Ministry reported that with more than 90 percent of the vote tallied, 61 percent of the voters had said no to a deal that would have imposed greater austerity measures on the beleaguered country.
The no votes carried virtually every district in the country, handing a sweeping victory to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in January vowing to reject new austerity measures, which he called an injustice and economically self-defeating. Late last month he walked away from negotiations in frustration at the creditors’ demands, called the referendum and urged Greeks to vote no as a way to give him more bargaining power."
---New York Times, July 5, 2015
Greeks Say "NO" to the Troika
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Tampa Bay Rays 8, New York Yankees 1
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York City on July 5, 2015
Tampa Bay Rays 8, New York Yankees 1
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: United States 5, Japan 2
July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photos of U.S. soccer players celebrating goals against Japan in the championship game of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, a game won by the U.S. women's team 5-2 over Japan on July 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of U.S. women's soccer player Abby Wambach holding an American flag in the wake of the 5-2 U.S. victory over Japan in the championship game of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, July 5, 2015
Associated Press: U.S. Women Win 2015 World Cup Championship, July 5, 2015
New York Times: U.S. Defeats Japan and Claims the the Championship of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, July 5, 2015
"The Women’s World Cup began uncertainly for midfielder Carli Lloyd. But it quickly built toward predatory dependability, then concluded Sunday in a display of startling deliverance.
Lloyd scored the quickest goal in a Women’s World Cup final, slicing a shot with the outside of her left foot from a corner kick in the third minute of a 5-2 victory over Japan, as the United States became the first team to win the tournament three times.
Lloyd was far from done, becoming the first player to score three goals in the final of this tournament. All came in the first 16 minutes, before an ecstatic announced crowd of 53,341 at BC Place Stadium, including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The United States built a 4-0 lead, was never really threatened as Japan closed the gap to 4-2, and found redemption after losing to Japan in a penalty shootout in the final of the 2011 Women’s World Cup."
---New York Times, July 5, 2015
South Carolina Senate Votes 37 to 3 to Remove Confederate Flag from State Capitol Grounds
July 6, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of Confederate Flag supporters in Columbia, South Carolina on July 6, 2015
Associated Press: South Carolina's Legislature Debates Removing Confederate Flag from Capitol Grounds, July 6, 2015
"The South Carolina Senate voted Monday to pull the Confederate flag off the Capitol grounds, clearing the way for a historic measure that could remove the banner more than five decades after it was first flown above the Statehouse to protest integration.
A second vote will be needed Tuesday to send the proposal to the House, where it faces a less certain future. But Monday's 37-3 vote was well over the two-thirds majority needed to advance the bill.
If the House passes the same measure, the flag and flagpole could be removed as soon as Gov. Nikki Haley signs the papers. The flag would be lowered for the last time and shipped off to the state's Confederate Relic Room, near where the last Confederate flag to fly over the Statehouse dome is stored.
The vote came at the end of a day of debate in which several white senators said they had come to understand why their black colleagues felt the flag no longer represented the valor of Southern soldiers but the racism that led the South to separate from the United States more than 150 years ago."
---Associated Press, July 6, 2015
New York Times: South Carolina Senate Votes to Remove Confederate Flag from Capitol Grounds, July 6, 2015
"The South Carolina Senate voted Monday to remove the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the State House. The bipartisan proposal, which emerged after last month’s massacre at a historic black church in Charleston, was approved by a 37-to-3 vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The Senate has one remaining ratification vote, now virtually assured of success.
The debate will shift to the House of Representatives, which Republicans also dominate, where the timeline for — and tenor of — the debate remains less clear.
The Senate’s vote on Monday marked a resounding shift in South Carolina, where less than three weeks ago removing the Confederate battle flag from a memorial near the State House was viewed as politically impossible."
---New York Times, July 6, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 3, Washington Nationals 2
July 6, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals in Washington, D.C. on July 6, 2015
Reds 3, Nationals 2
Eurozone Gives Greece Until Sunday to Submit Bailout Terms
July 7, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (hands raised) at an emergency Eurozone meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Above: AP graphic regarding Greece's debt crisis, July 2015
Associated Press: Eurozone Demands Tsipras Submit Plan by Sunday
"Frustrated and angry eurozone leaders fearing for the future of their common currency gave the Greek prime minister a last-minute chance Tuesday to finally come up with a viable proposal on how to save his country from financial ruin.
Overcoming their surprise when Alexis Tsipras failed to present them with a detailed reform blueprint, the leaders reluctantly agreed to a final summit on Sunday, saying the days leading up to it could give both sides an opportunity to stave off collapse of the struggling but defiant member nation.
Underscoring the gravity of the challenge, European Union President Donald Tusk decided to call all 28 EU leaders to Brussels, because, for the bloc, it 'is maybe the most critical moment in our history.'
French President Francois Hollande insisted much was at stake. 'It's not just the problem of Greece — it's the future of the European Union,' he said.
Highlighting the rising anger with Tsipras over months of foot-dragging and surprising negotiating twists, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had a stark warning for Greece.
'We have a Grexit scenario, prepared in detail,' he said, apparently referring to the situation in which Greece would be forced out of the currency union."
---Associated Press, July 7, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 4, Miami Marlins 3
July 7, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Boston Red Sox and the Miami Marlins on July 7, 2015
Red Sox 4, Marlins 3
Dow Jones Industrial Average Loses 261 Points
July 8, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart indicating the Dow closed at 17,515 on July 8, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 5, Seattle Mariners 4
July 8, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners on July 8, 2015
Detroit 5, Seattle 4
South Carolina's House Votes to Take Down the Confederate Flag on the Statehouse Grounds
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
Above:
Above:
New York Times: South Carolina's House Votes to Take Down the Confederate Battle Flag
"The Confederate battle flag that has flown at the South Carolina State House for more than 50 years will soon be gone after lawmakers capped a tension-filled session early on Thursday and voted to remove it from the grounds of the State Capitol.
The final vote in the State House of Representatives, 94 to 20, was well above the two-thirds majority that was required to move the bill toward the desk of Gov. Nikki R. Haley, a Republican who called for the flag to come down after last month’s massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston."
---New York Times, July 9, 2015
Associated Press: South Carolina's House Votes to Take Down Confederate Flag on Statehouse Grounds, July 9, 2015
"More than 50 years after South Carolina raised a Confederate flag at its Statehouse to protest the civil rights movement, the state is getting ready to remove the rebel banner.
A bill pulling down the flag from the Capitol's front lawn and the flagpole it flies on passed the South Carolina House early Thursday morning. It should get to Gov. Nikki Haley's desk before the end of the day.
The governor promised to sign it quickly, but didn't say exactly when. That's important, because the bill requires the flag be taken down within 24 hours of her pen hitting the paper and shipped to the Confederate Relic Room.
There were hugs, tears and high fives in the House chamber after the vote. Members who waited decades to see this day snapped selfies and pumped their fists. But even among the celebrations, there was more than a bit of sadness.
After the Civil War, the flag was first flown over the dome of South Carolina's Capitol in 1961 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the war. It stayed as a protest to the Civil Rights movement, only moving in 2000 from the dome to its current location.
The push that would bring down the Confederate flag for good only started after nine black churchgoers, including state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, were gunned down during Bible study at the historic Emanuel African Episcopal Church in Charleston on June 17. Police said the white gunman's motivation was racial hatred. Then three days later, photos surfaced of the suspect, Dylann Roof, holding Confederate flags."
---Associated Press, July 9, 2015
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch Announces that Federal Benefits Apply Nationwide to Same-Sex Couples
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; President Barack Obama
Washington Post: Attorney General Loretta Lynch Announces Federal Benefits Apply Nationwide to Same-Sex Couples, July 9, 2015
"Federal marriage benefits will become available to same-sex couples in all 50 states, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Thursday, a change that follows the Supreme Court’s historic ruling that all same-sex couples in the country have the right to get married.
Lynch said that officials with the Justice Department and two government agencies that had been limited in how they handled benefits and same-sex couples — the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs — worked quickly to expand these marriage benefits to people who had previously not had access to them."
---Washington Post, July 9, 2015
Associated Press: Federal Benefits to be Available Nationwide to Same-Sex Couples, July 9, 2015
"Same-sex married couples can start applying for Social Security and veterans benefits for spouses in all 50 states, but there are still issues to resolve as the federal government works to implement the Supreme Court ruling allowing gay couples to marry nationwide.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Thursday the federal government is making marriage benefits available to same-sex couples in every state.
The vast majority of federal marriage benefits were already available to same-sex couples, following a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the federal ban on gay marriage. However, some Social Security and veterans benefits for spouses were still denied to these couples if they lived in states that did not recognize their marriages."
---Associated Press, July 9, 2015
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Signs Bill into Law that Removes the Confederate Flag from Statehouse Grounds
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
Associated Press: South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Signs Bill Into Law Removing Confederate Flag from the Statehouse Grounds, July 9, 2015
"Saying South Carolina's history has forever changed, Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill Thursday to relegate the Confederate flag to the state's 'relic room,' more than 50 years after the rebel banner began flying at the Statehouse to protest the civil rights movement.
Compelled to act by the slaughter of nine African-Americans at a church Bible study, Gov. Nikki Haley praised lawmakers for acknowledging that the long-celebrated symbol is too painful and divisive to keep promoting.
'The Confederate flag is coming off the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse,' Haley said before signing the bill. 'We will bring it down with dignity and we will make sure it is stored in its rightful place.'
Police then surrounded the rebel flag with barricades and rope, a siege of sorts that will end Friday after the banner is furled for the last time at a 10 a.m. ceremony."
---Associated Press, July 9, 2015
New York Times: South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Signs Bill into Law that will Remove Confederate Flag from Flying on Capitol Grounds
"South Carolina, the first state to secede from the union, dispatched with a lasting symbol of the Civil War on Thursday as Gov. Nikki R. Haley signed a law removing the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the State House.
The flag, which flies in front of the graceful 19th-century capitol building here, is set to come down at 10 a.m. Friday."
---New York Times, July 9, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 4, Minnesota Twins 2
July 9, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins on July 9, 2015
Detroit 4, Minnesota 2
South Carolina Confederate Flag Taken Down from Statehouse Grounds
July 10, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of South Carolina law enforcement officers removing the Confederate Battle Flag from a flagpole on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina on July 10, 2015
Above: AP photo of a South Carolina law enforcement officer carrying the Confederate Battle Flag away from where it had flown on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina on July 10, 2015
Above: AP photo of a South Carolina law enforcement honor guard handing over the just-removed Confederate Battle Flag to a museum curator in Columbia, South Carolina in July 10, 2015
Associated Press: South Carolina Statehouse Confederate Flag Taken Down, July 10, 2015
"South Carolina pulled the Confederate flag from its place of honor at the Statehouse on Friday, marking a milestone in how America commemorates the war that tore the United States apart 150 years ago.
Many people believed the rebel banner would fly forever in the first state to leave the Union, despite bitter feelings that remained after the flag was demoted from atop the Capitol dome to a Confederate monument out front 15 years ago.
But the killings of nine black church members during a Bible study in Charleston last month suddenly changed the political truths and consequences surrounding Civil War symbols.
The battle flag unfurled to assert white power and protest the civil rights protest in the 1960s had been defended by white Republican leaders until last month as a symbol of Southern pride. After the church attack, even supporters felt compelled to acknowledge that the flag also represents racial hatred.
'No lie can live forever. That flag is a lie,' South Carolina NAACP President Lonnie Randolph said.
The flag came down Friday without incident, in a 6-minute ceremony, amid a crowd of up to 10,000 people chanting 'USA, USA,' and 'hey, hey, hey, goodbye.'
A multi-racial honor guard of South Carolina troopers wearing dress-gray uniforms and white gloves carefully folded and rolled it up. The flag was then taken to the state's Confederate Relic Room to be put in a new multimillion-dollar display. Later Friday, the 30-foot pole it flew on was yanked out after several mighty tugs from a crane."
---Associated Press, July 10, 2015
Howell Raines: The South Faces a New Wave of Change
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Baltimore Orioles 3, Washington Nationals 2
July 10, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland on July 10, 2015
Orioles 3, Nationals 2
GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Continues his Anti-Immigration Campaign
July 11, 2015 (Saturday)
Above:
Above:
New York Times: Donald Trump Campaigns in Arizona, July 11, 2015
"Donald Trump, the real estate mogul and reality television star who has taken center stage in the race for the Republican presidential nomination this week, delivered a rambling monologue on Saturday, dismissing a long list of critics — including Jeb Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Macy’s — while rallying what he termed a new silent majority of voters.
Mr. Trump had less to say about immigration, the topic on which his comments have garnered so much attention, than about those who have criticized him. For more than an hour, he ticked through a list of businesses and candidates who have tried to censure him since his long-shot campaign began three weeks ago, and made light of their practices and intelligence.
'How can I be tied with this guy?' Trump said of Mr. Bush, whom many consider the Republican front-runner. 'He’s terrible. He’s weak on immigration.'"
---New York Times, July 11, 2015
Associated Press: Donald Trump Campaigns in Arizona, July 11, 2015
The Daily Beast: Donald Trump Resonates with GOP Base
Politico: Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona, July 11, 2015
Salon: The GOP and the Danger of Donald Trump
Slate: Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona, July 11, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 3
July 11, 2015 (Saturday)
Above:
Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 3
Pro-Confederate Flag Rally in Central Florida
July 12, 2015 (Sunday)
Above:
Above:
Ocala.com: Pro-Confederate Flag Rally in Ocala, Florida, July 12, 2015
"An estimated 2,000 vehicles, mostly motorcycles and trucks adorned with Rebel flags, took part in a rally and ride Sunday afternoon in support of keeping a Confederate flag flying in front of the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala."
---Ocala.com, July 12, 2015
WFTV.com: Pro-Confederate Flag Rally in Central Florida, July 12, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: San Diego Padres 2, Texas Rangers 1
July 12, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas on July 12, 2015
Padres 2, Rangers 1
Greece and European Lenders Reach Deal
July 13, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
Above:
Above: Map of Greece
Associated Press: Greece and European Lenders Reach Deal, July 13, 2015
New York Times: Greece and the EU Reach a Deal
"Forced by his nation’s creditors into broad new concessions to avert financial collapse, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece returned home on Monday with just days to sell the deal to fractured lawmakers and a dazed electorate.
The agreement he struck with other European leaders early Monday after a contentious all-night bargaining session would give Greece the chance to receive its third international bailout in five years, a package of as much as 86 billion euros, or $96 billion, as well as easier repayment terms on some of its existing debt of more than 300 billion euros and a short-term economic stimulus plan.
But it would require Greece to swallow a wide array of measures, including pension cuts and tax increases, and effectively subject itself to intensive international oversight in order to qualify for the aid."
---New York Times, July 13, 2015
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Declares his Presidential Candidacy
July 13, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
Associated Press: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Declares his Presidential Candidacy, July 13, 2015
"Scott Walker vowed Monday to fight for America's interests abroad and for his conservative policies in Washington, launching a 2016 Republican presidential bid by highlighting his clashes with labor unions as his campaign taunted his Democratic critics.
The 47-year-old second-term governor embraced his 'fighter' reputation as he formally declared his candidacy in an evening speech, his family at his side, and protesters gathered just outside the convention hall."
---Associated Press, July 13, 2015
U.S and Iran Reach Historic Agreement Regarding Iran's Nuclear Program
July 14, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of President Barack Obama (flanked by Vice President Joe Biden) discussing the multinational agreement with Iran over the Iranian nuclear program, July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna, Austria on July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of President of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Iran addressing his nation via television on July 14, 2015
Above: AP photo of representatives of China, France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, Great Britain, and the United States assembling for a group photo in Vienna, Austria on July 14, 2015
Reuters: U.S. and Five Other Powers Reach Deal with Iran over Iran's Nuclear Program
"Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal on Tuesday, capping more than a decade of negotiations with an agreement that could transform the Middle East.
U.S. President Barack Obama hailed a step towards a 'more hopeful world' and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said it proved that 'constructive engagement works'. But Israel pledged to do what it could to halt what it called an 'historic surrender'.
The agreement will now be debated in the U.S. Congress, but Obama said he would veto any measure to block it."
---Reuters, July 14, 2015
Associated Press: U.S. and Others Reach Historic Accord with Iran Regarding Iran's Nuclear Program, July 14, 2015
"Overcoming decades of hostility, Iran, the United States, and five other world powers struck a historic accord Tuesday to check Tehran's nuclear efforts short of building a bomb. The agreement could give Iran access to billions in frozen assets and oil revenue, stave off more U.S. military action in the Middle East and reshape the tumultuous region.
The deal sets in motion a years-long test of Iran's willingness to keep its promises to the world — and the ability of international inspectors to monitor compliance. It also sets the White House up for a contentious fight with a wary Congress and more rocky relations with Israel, whose leaders furiously opposed the agreement.
Appealing to skeptics, President Barack Obama declared that the accord 'offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it.'
Under terms of the deal, the culmination of 20 months of arduous diplomacy, Iran must dismantle much of its nuclear program in order to secure relief from biting sanctions that have battered its economy. International inspectors can now press for visits to Iran's military facilities, though access is not guaranteed. Centrifuges will keep spinning, though in lesser quantities, and uranium can still be enriched, though at lower levels.
In a key compromise, Iran agreed to continuation of the U.N.'s arms embargo on the country for up to five more years and ballistic missile restrictions for up to eight years. Washington had sought to keep the arms ban in place, while Russia and China joined Iran in pushing for an immediate suspension.
On the streets of Tehran, Iranians honked their horns and celebrated in the city's main square. President Hassan Rouhani said a 'new chapter' had begun in his nation's relations with the world, even as he denied Iran had ever pursued a nuclear weapon.
While the U.S. partnered in the talks with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, the decades of tensions between the U.S. and Iran put the two countries at the forefront of the negotiations."
---Associated Press, July 14, 2015
New York Times: Iran Reaches Deal with Six World Powers Regarding Nuclear Program, July 14, 2015
"Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States said they had reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.
The deal culminates 20 months of negotiations on an agreement that President Obama had long sought as the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Whether it portends a new relationship between the United States and Iran — after decades of coups, hostage-taking, terrorism and sanctions — remains a bigger question."
---New York Times, July 14, 2015
New York Times: Issues of Science and Technology in the Iran Nuclear Deal, July 14, 2015
Above: AP graphic regarding major components of the Iran nuclear deal; United States Secretary of State John Kerry
The Editorial Board of the New York Times, July 14, 2015
"The final deal with Iran announced by the United States and other major world powers does what no amount of political posturing and vague threats of military action had managed to do before. It puts strong, verifiable limits on Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon for at least the next 10 to 15 years and is potentially one of the most consequential accords in recent diplomatic history with the ability not just to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon but also to reshape Middle East politics."
---The Editorial Board of The New York Times, July 14, 2015
Politico: Obama and the Long Haul
"Barack Obama is not a modest man, but when it comes to assessing his or any president’s place in the long American story, he has been heard to say, 'We just try to get our paragraph right.' Yet the way a raft of recent events have broken sharply in his favor, Obama suddenly seems well on his way to writing a whole page—or at least a big, fat passage—in the history books.
From the Supreme Court decisions upholding his signature health care plan and the right of gay Americans to marry, to contested passage of fast track trade authority, the opening of normal diplomatic relations with Cuba and an international agreement to curtail Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Obama is on a policy and political roll that would have seem unimaginable to many in Washington only a few months ago."
---Todd Purdum, Politico, July 16, 2015
2015 Major League All Star Game in Cincinnati, Ohio: American League 6, National League 3
July 14, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of National League pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds in action against the American League in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game held in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 14, 2015
American League 6, National League 3
NASA Releases Close-up Photos of Pluto
July 15, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above:
Above:
Above:
Associated Press: NASA Releases Close-up Photos of Pluto, July 15, 2015
"Scientists have released the first up-close images ever of Pluto and its big moon Charon. And they say they're amazed.
The long-awaited images were unveiled Wednesday in Maryland, home to mission operations for NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
A zoom-in of Pluto reveals an icy range about as high as the Rockies. To the scientists' great surprise, there are no impact craters. On Charon, deep troughs and canyons can be seen.
The images were collected as New Horizons swept within 7,700 miles of Pluto on Tuesday, becoming Pluto's first visitor in its 4.5 billion-year existence."
---Associated Press, July 15, 2015
Culture War: Confederate Flags Greet President Obama in Oklahoma City
July 15, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: ABC News photo via AP of an Oklahoma City crowd--some waving Confederate Flags--near a hotel where President Obama was staying on July 15, 2015
ABC News: CSA Flags Greet President Obama in Oklahoma City, July 15, 2015
"President Obama was greeted by people waving Confederate flags as he arrived at his hotel in Oklahoma City Wednesday night.
In a crowd of several dozen people, about 10 of them waved Confederate flags as the president's motorcade arrived at his hotel. One person also waved a U.S. flag."
---ABC News, July 16, 2015
TheHill.com: Confederate Flags Greet President Obama in Oklahoma City, July 15, 2015
Rick Perlstein: The Deeply Embedded Bigotry of the Conservative Movement
Joan Walsh: The Confederate Flag and President Obama
"The notion that the Confederate flag is merely a symbol of Southern 'heritage,' detached from slavery and Jim Crow, has always been a pernicious lie. It shouldn’t have taken the murder of the Emanuel Nine, by flag-waving white supremacist Dylann Roof, to make that the new national consensus. But it did.
Now the flag’s racist meaning is crystal clear, which is why it’s becoming an ever more beloved symbol for racist morons, even outside the old Confederacy. The ugly Confederate flag tableau that greeted President Obama in Oklahoma City Wednesday night illuminated this new reality. It follows a similar protest earlier this month, when the president visited Nashville, Tenn. Over in Durant, Okla., where the president was scheduled to speak, there was also a Confederate flag protest earlier in the day."
---Joan Walsh, Salon, July 16, 2015
Muslim Radical Kills Four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee
July 16, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
New York Times: Gunman in Chattanooga Kills Four Marines, July 16, 2015
"A 24-year-old Kuwaiti-born gunman opened fire on a military recruiting station on Thursday, then raced to a second military site where he killed four United States Marines, prompting a federal domestic terrorism investigation. Three other people, including a Marine Corps recruiter and a police officer, were wounded, according to law enforcement officials.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the gunman, who also died Thursday, as Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, who became a naturalized United States citizen and went to high school and college in Chattanooga. Although counterterrorism officials had not been investigating Mr. Abdulazeez before Thursday’s shooting, federal officials familiar with the inquiry said that his father had been investigated years ago for giving money to an organization with possible ties to terrorists."
---New York Times, July 16, 2015
Associated Press: Gunman in Chattanooga Kills Four U.S. Marines, July 16, 2015
"A gunman unleashed a barrage of fire at a recruiting center and another U.S. military site a few miles apart in Chattanooga on Thursday, killing at least four Marines before he was shot to death by police, and sending service members scrambling for cover as bullets smashed through the windows.
Federal authorities said they were investigating the possibility it was an act of terrorism, but have no evidence yet that anyone but a lone gunman was involved. They also said there was no indication that the general public was in danger. The FBI has taken charge of the case.
Authorities identified the gunman as Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, of Hixson, Tennessee, though the spelling of his first name was in dispute, with federal officials and records giving at least four variations.
A U.S. official said there was no indication Abdulazeez was on the radar of federal law enforcement before the shootings. The official was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The shootings took place minutes apart, with the gunman stopping his car and spraying dozens of bullets first at a recruiting center for all branches of the military, then apparently driving to a Navy-Marine training center 7 miles away, authorities and witnesses said. The attacks were over within a half-hour.
The shooter fired at the recruitment center from inside his car, but then got out of the vehicle to shoot the four marines at the training center, FBI agent Ed Reinhold told a news conference late Thursday.
In addition to the Marines killed, three people were reported wounded, including a sailor who was seriously hurt."
---Associated Press, July 17, 2015
The Guardian: Four Slain U.S. Marines
Deadly Bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq Kills Over 100; ISIS Claims Credit
July 17, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Iraq; AP photo of the aftermath of the July 17th ISIS suicide car bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq--photo taken on July 18, 2015
Above: AP photo of the aftermath of the July 17th ISIS suicide car bombing in Khan Bani Saad, Iraq---photo taken on July 18, 2015
Reuters: Deadly Bombing in Iraq Claimed by ISIS, July 17, 2015
"More than 100 people were killed in a suicide car bombing at a busy market in an Iraqi town on Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks carried out by Islamic State militants since they overran large parts of the country.
The blast brought down several buildings in Khan Bani Saad, about 30 km (20 miles) northeast of Baghdad, crushing to death people who were celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police and medics said.
Islamic State, which controls large parts of northern and western Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack in the mixed eastern province of Diyala where Khan Bani Saad is located and said the target was 'rejectionists', as the group refers to Shi'ite Muslims.
Angry crowds went on the rampage after the explosion, smashing the windows of cars parked in the street in grief and anger. Body parts were flung onto the roofs of nearby buildings by the force of the blast, police said."
---Reuters, July 17, 2015
Aljazeera.com: Deadly Bombing in Iraq, North of Baghdad, July 17, 2015
"A car bomb has exploded in a busy market in an Iraqi town, killing at least 100 adults and children celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police have said.
Dozens of people were also wounded by the blast in Khan Bani Saad, approximately 30km northeast of the capital Baghdad.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter and said the car was carrying around three tonnes of explosives.
Angry crowds went on the rampage after the explosion, smashing the windows of cars parked in the street in grief and anger."
---Aljazeera.com, July 17, 2015
The Guardian: ISIS Claims Deadly Car Bombing in Iraq, July 17, 2015
"A car bomb has killed at least 80 people, both adults and children, at a busy market near Baghdad in one of the deadliest attacks in Iraq since Islamic State militants overran large parts of the country.
The force of the blast in Khan Bani Saad, about 20 miles (30 km) north-east of the capital, brought down several buildings, crushing people who had been celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, police and medics said.
Isis militants later claimed responsibility and said in a statement that the suicide bomber had used three tonnes of explosive. Isis, which controls large parts of northern and western Iraq, had previously carried out attacks in the eastern province of Diyala where Khan Bani Saad is located."
---The Guardian, July 17, 2015
Associated Press: ISIS Takes Credit for Deadly Car Bomb in Iraq, July 17, 2015
"A suicide car bombing in Iraq's eastern Diyala province killed at least 80 people gathered at a marketplace to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Iraqi police officials said at least 50 people were also wounded in the attack in the town of Khan Beni Saad. Hospital officials confirmed the death tolls. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press."
---Associated Press, July 17, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 7, Baltimore Orioles 3
July 17, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, July 17, 2015
Detroit 7, Baltimore 3
Donald Trump Jumps the Shark?
July 18, 2015
Above:
Associated Press: Donald Trump Questions John McCain's Status as a War Hero, July 18, 2015
"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized Sen. John McCain's military record at a conservative forum Saturday, saying the party's 2008 nominee and former prisoner of war was a 'war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured.'
The comment drew some boos from some in the audience — and quick condemnation from rivals who have been waiting for such an opening to rein in the outspoken reality television personality. Trump has surged in polls recently, frustrating many in his party concerned that he has hijacked the 2016 Republican primary and damaged the GOP brand.
Trump and McCain traded barbs earlier this week. McCain said Trump's controversial comments about immigrants had 'fired up the crazies' at a rally in Phoenix. Trump retorted that the Arizona Republican was 'a dummy' who graduated at the bottom of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy."
---Associated Press, July 18, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: St. Louis Cardinals 12, New York Mets 2
July 18, 2015 (Saturday)
Above:
Cardinals 12, Mets 2
GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Continues to Attack John McCain
July 19, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Front page of the New York Post, July 19, 2015; U.S. Senator John McCain, R-Arizona
Reuters: Donald Trump Remains Defiant, July 19, 2015
"Presidential candidate Donald Trump refused to apologize on Sunday for his remarks about the war record of U.S. Senator John McCain despite a growing fire storm among fellow Republicans, and said he had no plans to drop out of the race.
Asked on ABC's 'This Week' if he owed McCain an apology for saying the former prisoner in North Vietnam was only considered a war hero because he was captured, Trump said, 'No, not at all.' He again blasted McCain's support for fellow veterans.
'John McCain has failed,' Trump said, citing delays in healthcare for veterans. 'I believe that I will do far more for veterans than John McCain has done for many, many years, with all talk no action ... Nothing gets done.'
McCain, a Navy fighter pilot, was imprisoned and tortured in a Hanoi prison for five years during the Vietnam War after being shot down."
---Reuters, July 19, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of the Donald Trump vs. John McCain Controversy, July 19, 2015
"Republicans' swift condemnation of Donald Trump's disparaging comments about Sen. John McCain's military service marks a turning point in the party's cautious approach to the billionaire-turned-presidential candidate.
But Trump simply may not care; indeed he seemed to bask in his McCain takedown."
---Associated Press, July 19, 2015
William Frey: Donald Trump and the American Demographic with whom he Resonates, July 17, 2015
"But writing Trump off is dangerous. The billionaire may play the buffoon, but he is an important one — one whom Americans appear to adore. A USA Today-Suffolk University poll released Tuesday shows him leading all Republican presidential hopefuls. And while establishment candidates in both parties might want to ignore him, or express a milder version of his anti-immigration opinions, an enormous number of voters clearly like his views. Pretending they don’t allows Trump and other immigration firebrands, such as Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz, to resuscitate a century-old nativism that could stick around beyond this election. Given that the United States is undergoing a demographic diversity explosion, our workforce — our very future — is tied to people Trump is rallying support against."
---William Frey, Washington Post, July 17, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Houston Astros 10, Texas Rangers 0
July 19, 2015 (Sunday)
Above:
Houston Astros 10, Texas Rangers 0
United States and Cuba Restore Diplomatic Relations
July 20, 2015 (Monday)
Above: President of the United States Barack Obama; Cuban President Raul Castro
Associated Press: U.S. and Cuba Restore Diplomatic Relations, July 20, 2015
"More than a half century of Cold War and lingering enmity came to an abrupt but quiet end on Monday as the United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations.
The new era began with little fanfare when an agreement between the two nations to resume normal ties on July 20 came into force just after midnight Sunday and the diplomatic missions of each country were upgraded from interests sections to embassies. When clocks struck 12:00 in Washington and Havana, they tolled a knell for policy approaches spawned and hardened over the five decades since President John F. Kennedy first tangled with youthful revolutionary Fidel Castro over Soviet expansion in the Americas."
---Associated Press, July 20, 2015
The UN Security Council Approves the Iranian Nuclear Deal
July 20, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo United Nations Security Council meeting on July 20, 2015
New York Times: U.N. Security Council Approves Iran Nuclear Deal, July 20, 2015
"The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution that creates the basis for international economic sanctions against Iran to be lifted, a move that incited a furious reaction in Israel and potentially sets up an angry showdown in Congress.
The 15-0 vote for approval of the resolution — 104 pages long including annexes and lists — was written in Vienna by diplomats who negotiated a landmark pact last week that limits Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for ending the sanctions.
Iran has pledged to let in international monitors to inspect its facilities for the next 10 years and other measures that were devised to guarantee that its nuclear energy activities are purely peaceful.
The Security Council resolution, which is legally binding, lays out the steps required only for the lifting of United Nations sanctions."
---New York Times, July 20, 2015
Associated Press: United Nations Security Council Approves Nuclear Deal with Iran, July 20, 2015
"The U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously endorsed the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and authorized a series of measures leading to the end of U.N. sanctions that have hurt Iran's economy.
But the measure also provides a mechanism for U.N. sanctions to 'snap back' in place if Iran fails to meet its obligations.
Both U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power and Iran's U.N. Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo called the agreement an important achievement for diplomacy, the Iranian promising to be 'resolute in fulfilling its obligations' and the American pledging to be vigilant in ensuring they are carried out.
The resolution had been agreed to by the five veto-wielding council members, who along with Germany negotiated the nuclear deal with Iran. It was co-sponsored by all 15 members of the Security Council. The European Union's foreign ministers endorsed the agreement later Monday in Brussels and pledged to implement it."
---Associated Press, July 20, 2015
Cuban Flag Raised Over Embassy in Washington, D.C.
July 20, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
Associated Press: Cuban Flag Raised Above its Embassy in Washington, D.C., July 20, 2015
"The Cuban national flag fluttered in the Washington sun Monday as the U.S. and Cuba formally ended more than a half-century of estrangement, formally re-establishing relations severed at the height of the Cold War. But the symbolism of an embassy ceremony could not conceal deep, lingering conflicts between the nations.
In the sweltering July heat and humidity of America's capital, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over the flag-raising ceremony just hours after an agreement to restore diplomatic ties broken in 1961 took effect at the stroke of midnight. He later met with Secretary of State John Kerry, becoming the first Cuban foreign minister to set foot in the State Department since 1958.
Kerry announced that he would make a reciprocal visit to Cuba to dedicate the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Aug. 14. He spoke of a need to move beyond the enmity that was spawned as President John F. Kennedy grappled with Fidel Castro's revolution and Soviet expansionism and that hardened over the 54 years that followed."
---Associated Press, July 20, 2015
New York Times: United States Opens Embassy in Havana, Cuba, July 20, 2015
"After more than a half-century of Cold War estrangement, the United States reopened its six-story embassy in Havana on Monday, and Cuba raised a flag outside its own stately embassy in Washington.
The resumption of diplomatic relations between the two nations — a historic milestone in the official thaw that President Obama set in motion last year — was the culmination of months of negotiations to overcome decades of enmity.
But the promise of restoring full ties remained remote. Even as top American and Cuban diplomats held a meeting at the State Department for the first time in decades, Cuba’s foreign minister railed against the United States’ travel restrictions, trade embargo and presence at the military base at Guantánamo Bay."
---New York Times, July 20, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit 5, Seattle 4
July 20, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
Detroit Tigers 5, Seattle Mariners 4
Ohio Governor John Kasich Declares his Presidential Candidacy
July 21, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
Associated Press: Ohio Governor John Kasich Declares his Candidacy for the Presidency, July 21, 2015
"Saying 'big ideas change the world,' Ohio Gov. John Kasich declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination Tuesday.
Kasich, 63, launched his campaign at Ohio State University before a crowd of 2,000. The event marked the entry of a strong-willed and sometimes abrasive governor into a nomination race that now has 16 notable Republicans."
---Associated Press, July 21, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: San Francisco Giants 9, San Diego Padres 3
July 21, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Major League Baseball action between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres in San Diego, California on July 21, 2015
Giants 9, Padres 3
Dylann Roof Indicted on Federal Hate Crimes Charges
July 22, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Dylann Roof
New York Times: Federal Government Indicts Charleston Gunman Dylann Roof on Hate Crime Charges, July 22, 2015
"The gunman who killed nine people at a South Carolina church in June plotted his attack for months, choosing his target because it was a nationally known historically black church, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said on Wednesday as she announced federal hate crime charges against him.
The man charged in the case, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is also accused of killing people while obstructing religious freedom, a charge that carries a possible death sentence, though Ms. Lynch said the Justice Department had not decided whether to seek it."
---New York Times, July 22, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season:
July 22, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above:
Oakland 4, Toronto 3
Right-wing Gunman Kills 2 and Wounds Several in a Lafayette, Louisiana Movie Theater
July 23, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Undated photo of John Russell Houser, the gunman who opened fire killing 2 and wounding several in a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater on July 23, 2015; Trainwreck movie poster
Above:
Above: AP map regarding the deadly shooting at a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater on July 23, 2015
Above: Website for Tea Party Nation purporting to be the personal page of John Russell Houser
Associated Press: Deadly Shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana Movie Theater, July 23, 2015
"A lone gunman sitting in a packed movie theater stood up about 20 minutes into the showing of 'Trainwreck' and began firing into the crowd, killing two and wounding at least nine others Thursday night before fatally shooting himself, authorities said.
The gunman initially tried escaping by blending into the fleeing crowd, but turned back when he saw police heading inside from the parking lot, authorities said. Officers tailing him back into the theater then heard a single gunshot and found him dead inside, police said.
They described the shooter as a 58-year-old 'lone white male' with a criminal history but did not immediately disclose his name. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft said the gunman was by himself and started the rampage by shooting the two people sitting in front of him.
At least one theatergoer described the attack, saying an older man stood up about 20 minutes into the 7:10 p.m. showing of the movie 'Trainwreck' at the Grand 16 theater in Lafayette and began shooting."
---Associated Press, July 24, 2015
New York Times: Deadly Shooting at Lafayette, Louisiana Movie Theater, July 23, 2015
"Three people died and nine were wounded after a gunman opened fire in a movie theater here on Thursday night, officials said. The gunman was among the dead.
The shooting took place shortly before 7:30 p.m. during a showing of the comedy “Trainwreck” at the Grand Theater in Lafayette, a 16-screen multiplex on one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. Chief Jim Craft of the Lafayette Police Department said that police officers entered the theater complex while the shooting was going on. When they got inside the theater, they found the gunman dead of a self-inflicted wound."
---New York Times, July 23, 2015
Washington Post: John Russell Houser, Right-wing Activist
"John Russell Houser, the man police say opened fire inside a Lafayette, La., movie theater on Thursday night, had boasted in an online profile that he made dozens of appearances on television talk shows.
The hosts of those shows said Friday that Houser over-stated his role, but they do remember him as an argument-starting guest who was angry about high taxes and the growing power of women."
---Washington Post, July 24, 2015
New York Times: John Russell Houser, Right-wing Zealot
"The picture that emerged Friday of the gunman who killed two women and wounded nine other people in a theater here was one filled with instability and rage, from a history of mental illness, to vandalizing and booby-trapping a house, to venting his fury at women’s rights, minorities and liberals.
The gunman, John Russell Houser, 59, of Phenix City, Ala., who had a history of mental illness, took his own life in the theater here Thursday night, after gunning down the others during a screening of the comedy 'Trainwreck,' the police said."
---New York Times, July 24, 2015
Associated Press: John Russell Houser's History of Erratic Behavior and Extremist Views
"In the early '90s, he was a regular guest on a local call-in television show where he'd be the conservative Republican pitted against a Democrat to debate issues. The host, Calvin Floyd, said Houser had radical opinions that included advocating violence against abortion providers, keeping women out of the workplace and fearing a military takeover of civilian government.
'He made a lot of wild accusations,' said Floyd, who hosted the show on WLTZ-TV in Columbus for more than two decades. 'He could make the phones ring.'
Yet Houser had a dark side that went way beyond talk. In 1989, court records say, he was accused of hiring someone to burn down a Columbus lawyer's law office. A woman and her father say he virtually destroyed a foreclosed home he was being evicted from in 2014 after they bought it. His wife and other relatives filed papers accusing him of domestic violence in 2008.
In Lafayette, Louisiana, police said Houser stood up during a showing of the movie 'Trainwreck' Thursday night and started shooting without a word. Two people were killed and nine were injured; authorities said Houser shot himself to death as officers pursued him in the theater."
---Associated Press, July 24, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Miami Marlins 4, San Diego Padres 0
July 23, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Above:
Miami 4, San Diego 0
Turkey Hits ISiS Targets in Syria
July 24, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Map of Turkey; Map of Syria
Reuters: Turkey Bombs ISIS Targets in Syria, July 24, 2015
"Turkish warplanes pounded Islamic State targets in Syria for the first time on Friday, with President Tayyip Erdogan promising more decisive action against both the jihadists and Kurdish militants."
---Reuters, July 24, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: St. Louis Cardinals 4, Atlanta Braves 2
July 24, 2015 (Friday)
Above:
Cardinals 4, Braves 2
Turkey Attacks Kurdish Targets in Iraq
July 25, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Map of Turkey; Map of Iraq
New York Times: Turkey Hits Kurdish Targets in Iraq, July 25, 2015
"Turkish fighter jets, which on Friday attacked Islamic State targets in Syria, have launched a wave of airstrikes in northern Iraq, targeting camps of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party for the first time in four years, the prime minister’s office said Saturday.
The Iraq raids, which began late Friday and continued into Saturday, effectively ended an unstable two-year cease-fire between the Turkish government and the Kurdish militants, also known by the initials of their Kurdish name, P.K.K. After a three-decade conflict that claimed at least 40,000 lives, the two sides reached a fragile peace in 2013, though there have been a few minor clashes since then."
---New York Times, July 25, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Cincinnati Reds 5, Colorado Rockies 2
July 25, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Major League Baseball action between the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies in Denver on Saturday, July 25, 2015
Reds 5, Rockies 2
Donald Trump Continues to Perform Well in the Polls
July 26, 2015 (Sunday)
Reuters: Donald Trump Leads GOP Field in CNN Poll Released on Sunday, July 26, 2015
"Real estate magnate Donald Trump moved to the top of the 2016 Republican presidential field in a CNN poll released on Sunday, edging rival Jeb Bush and gaining support from Republicans in the last month despite a series of controversial statements.
Trump was backed by 18 percent of Republicans in the CNN poll, which was conducted entirely after his July 18 criticism of Republican Senator John McCain's war record. His lead over Bush, a former Florida governor who was at 15 percent, was within the poll's margin of error.
'There is a movement going on. This is more than me,' Trump said on CNN's 'State of the Union,' saying the poll results were not surprising. 'People are tired of these incompetent politicians in Washington that can't get anything done.'
Trump's support among Republicans increased six percentage points since late June despite a flood of rebukes of Trump after he said McCain, a former Navy pilot who was tortured during more than five years in captivity during the Vietnam War, was not a war hero because he was captured.
Trump and Bush were joined near the top of the pack by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who had 10 percent support among the Republican and Republican-leaning independent registered voters who were surveyed in the CNN poll.
None of the other Republican candidates gained double-digit support. Sixteen Republicans are running for the party's presidential nomination in the November 2016 election."
---Reuters, July 26, 2015
Politico: Trump Polling Second in Iowa, First in New Hampshire
"Donald Trump has surged to the lead in the New Hampshire GOP presidential primary and virtually erased Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s advantage in the Iowa caucuses, according to new NBC News/Marist polls released Sunday.
In Iowa, Walker still tops the field with 19 percent, the poll shows — only two points ahead of Trump, who garners 17 percent. Interviews for the poll began on July 14 — the day after the Walker campaign’s launch event in Wisconsin. The only other candidate in double digits is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, at 12 percent."
---Politico, July 26, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: San Francisco Giants 4, Oakland A's 3
July 26, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of San Francisco pitcher Tim Hudson in action against the Oakland A's in San Francisco, California on July 26, 2015
San Francisco Giants 4, Oakland A's 3
Dow Jones Industrial Average Loses 127 Points
July 27, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow losing 127 points and closing at 17,440 on July 27, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: New York Yankees 6, Texas Rangers 2
July 27, 2015 (Monday)
Above:
Yankees 6, Rangers 2
July 28, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Baltimore Orioles 7, Atlanta Braves 3
July 28, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above:
Orioles 7, Braves 3
University of Cincinnati Cop Indicted for Shooting Motorist
July 29, 2015 (Wednesday)
New York Times: University of Cincinnati Cop Indicted in Shooting, July 29, 2015
"A University of Cincinnati police officer was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge in what a prosecutor called 'a senseless, asinine shooting' of an unarmed man during a minor traffic stop. Officials say it was the first time such a charge had been leveled against an officer in the county.
The Hamilton County prosecuting attorney, Joseph T. Deters, released a much anticipated video of the shooting of Samuel Dubose taken by the officer’s body camera that he described as crucial evidence that Mr. Dubose did not act aggressively or pose a threat to Officer Ray Tensing, and that Officer Tensing had lied about being dragged by Mr. Dubose’s car. A grand jury, Mr. Deters announced, indicted the officer on a murder charge, punishable by life in prison, and a voluntary manslaughter charge."
---New York Times, July 29, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Detroit Tigers 2, Tampa Bay Rays 1
July 29, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above:
Above:
Detroit 2, Tampa Bay 1
The Summer of Trump: The Donald Leads in Another National Poll
July 30, 2015 (Thursday)
Politico: Trumps Leads, Followed by Scott Walker and Jeb Bush
"Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential field by a significant margin, according to a new Quinnipiac University national poll released Thursday.
The poll also indicates that Ohio Gov. John Kasich could ride a post-announcement bump onto the stage for next week’s debate in Cleveland, despite fears that Trump’s wall-to-wall media coverage had overshadowed his late entry into the race.
Fully 20 percent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters said they would vote for Trump if the primary were held today — the largest share any single candidate has received in Quinnipiac’s seven surveys over the past two years. That puts the brash real-estate magnate ahead of the two other candidates who earn double-digit support: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 13 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 10 percent.
It’s a four-way tie for fourth place — with pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio all at 6 percent. Kasich, at 5 percent, is tied for eighth place with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz."
---Politico, July 30, 2015
Quinnipiac.edu: Trump Leads Walker, Bush, and the Rest of the GOP Field in Poll Released on July 30, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: Boston Red Sox 8, Chicago White Sox 2
July 30, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Red Sox 8, White Sox 2
Hillary Clinton Campaigns Hits Jeb Bush
July 31, 2015 (Friday)
Above:
Reuters: Hillary Hits Jeb, July 31, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of the Hillary Clinton Campaign, July 31, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Season: New York Mets 2, Washington Nationals 1
July 31, 2015 (Friday)
Above:
Mets 2, Nationals 1
August 2015